20 Years On, Caspian Sea Convention Signed by 5 Countries

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Caspian Sea has been a regular subject of dispute between the 5 coastal states - Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan.

In the small coastal city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, the five countries gathered to work on a “regional constitution.” After more than 20 years of debates, the parties reached an agreement on Sunday.

The Legal Convention on the Caspian Sea sets consensual divisions for potential undersea hydrocarbon resources and on sturgeon fishing quotas.

“We have established 15-mile-wide (24km) territorial waters whose borders become state borders,” Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev said. Additionally, the 10 first miles from the coast will be an exclusive fishing zone for the respective state.

According to a UN Spokesperson, the Secretary-General considers the convention a demonstration of regional cooperation, vital for maintaining international peace and security.

However, the agreement remains weak. The cause of many disputes after independence from the Soviet Union, the delimitation of the seabed will be tackled later. Some littoral states regularly claim ownership of several oil and gas fields.

By Antoine Dewaest

Photo: Alexei NikolskyTASS via Getty Images